Plate towed compactor



April 28, 1970 3,508,475

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Z 2 6d 2 @2512 M V ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,508,475 PLATE TOWED COMPACTOR Fred T. Smith, Aurora, 11]., assignor to Barber-Greene Company, Aurora, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 664,368 Int. Cl. E01c 19/30 US. Cl. 94-48 26 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plate towed compactor having a frame, a motor suspended in the frame, a pair of eccentric shafts transverse to the direction of towing, a vibrating plate driven by the shafts, and a towing and suspension system for attaching the unit to a finisher.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in road finishing machines and techniques for finishing bituminous or the like paving materials along a roadway surface. More particularly, the instant invention is concerned with the use of a plate towed compactor associated directly with a finisher.

PRIOR ART It is known to use a roller or compactor as a separate element in finishing bituminous paving materials along a roadway. The prior art devices have separated the finisher and compactor because of the inability of placing the compactor close to a paver screed. The compactors have been self-propelled because of the impossibility of propelling the compactor with a tractor. Such devices in addition to requiring their own prime mover also require a special operator.

It is known to use compacting plates having a small plate surface. In material such as sand, it is easy to reach sufficient compaction energy to force the material out from under the plate. Thus, it is important to have a large enough surface for the compacting plate so that the materials are compacted downward instead of developing lateral forces that tend to pump the materials being compacted out from under the compacting plate. The prior art compactors are generally two feet long, and have a rounded front shoe so that it will slide over the lift. Also known is the use of counterrotating shafts with weights inside of boxes. The boxes are joined together to generate the energy for compacting lifts of 1 /2 to 2 inches.

Jackson type vibrators have been used. This comprises a series of smaller vibrating plates which are arranged across the width of the road and which function to compact the road surface. A unit of this type has a disadvantage in that it tends to create a series of irregularities in the finished road surface or lines.

In the use of a self-propelled compactor, the bituminous material, lift or mat is put down by a finisher and allowed to cool. A roller is then used to compact the lift.

It is desired to lay the bituminous material in lifts of six to ten inches or more. A roller on such thicknesses of bituminous material will cause the lift to move in a random fashion and does not permit the bituminous material to be compacted in the contour desired. As a result, rolling a 6 or inch lift is extremely diflicult.

SUMMARY In accordance with the principles of the present invention, I have provided a new apparatus for towing by a finisher comprising a plate towed compactor having a Patented Apr. 28, 1970 motor, a pair of eccentric shafts transverse to the direction of towing of the compactor driven by the motor, a vibrating plate operatively connected to the shafts for compacting a bituminous lift, and a suspension and towing system for the plate towed compactor.

Accordingly, an important object of this invention is to provide a plate towed compactor to be towed by a finisher.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a late towed compactor for finishing a roadway with a desired contour.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a plate towed compactor capable of compacting a lift of 6 inches to 10 inches or more.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a plate towed compactor having a split plate adapted to assume the configuration of a desired roadway contour.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a plate towed compactor having weights mounted on transverse vibrating eccentric shafts in a novel manner.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a plate towed compactor having a sectioned plate which leaves a smooth finish on the roadway.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a plate towed compactor which is integral with the finisher and eliminates at least one finishing step and the separate operator required therefor.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description in the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the plate towed compactor attached to the finisher;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the compactor with the cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a end view of the plate towed compactor taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIG 4 is an enlarged view of an eccentric mounted on a stub shaft.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the eccentric and stub shaft taken along the line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial top view of the vibrating split screed;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional views of the bolted ties for the split screed taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic top views of the vibrating screed and extension screeds;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of a vibrating shaft extension taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view of an extension ball adjusting joint taken along the line XIIXII of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is an end view of an extension ball adjusting member taken along the line XIIIXIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a top view of an extension ball adjusting member corresponding to FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line XVXV of FIG. 6;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged top view of the joint assembly shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line XVII-XVII of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 18 is an enlarged side view of an eccentric and bearings similar to FIG. 3.

3 AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodied in a plate towed compactor associated with a finisher as illustrated in FIG. 1, generally indicated by the numeral 10.

The plate towed compactor and finisher includes a paver or finisher 12, such as shown in H. A. Barber et al. US. Patent No. 3,054,334, and a plate towed compactor 14.

The paving machine 12 includes a paver frame 16 which is mounted on crawlers or tracks 18. At the. forward end of the paver 12 is a hopper 20 for receiving paving materials from a dump truck in a conventional manner. The frame 16 has a pair of rollers adapted to engage with the rear of a dump truck as paving material is unloaded into the hopper 20.

At the rear of the paver 12 is a screed assembly 24. Disposed between the hopper 20 and the screed 24 is a screw mechanism 26 for distributing the paving material from the hopper and depositing the same upon the ground in front of the screed 24.

The paver 12 has a pair of leveling or draft arms 28 pivoted on the frame 16. The arms 28 move the screed 24 up and down.

The plate towed compactor 14 is connected to the paver 12 by a pair of parallel towing arms which are attached to the paver 12 by a pair of pin assemblies 42. The towed compactor 14 has a motor frame 44 connected at one end to the towing arms 40 and at the opposite end to a pair of caster assemblies 46 having a pair of casters 48 on each assembly. The compactor 14 has a vibrating screed or compacting plate assembly 50 disposed beneath and normally supporting the frame 44 and a cover 52 mounted above the frame 44.

The frame 44 has a pair of relatively short longitudinal members 56 and a pair of relatively longer transverse members 58. Within and secured to the frame 44 is a motor 60 which is desirably of the internal combustion type. The motor 60 drives a chain drive 62 for a transmission 64 and a gear box 67 that drives a pair of transverse vibrating shafts 66, '68, FIGS. 2 and 3. Connected to each of the frame members 58 are two pairs of frame-supporting vibration dampeners 70, 70a which are mounted on the compacting plate assembly 50 and each of which includes a coil suspension spring 71 by which the frame 44 and the motor 60 are substantially vibrationally isolated from one another.

Details of the towing and suspension system are shown in my copending application entitled Method and Apparatus for Towing and Suspending a Compactor From a Paver Ser. No. 664,386 filed of even date.

The screed 50 is split into two longitudinal portions 50a and 50b. The screed 50 is ground and polished to within .046 inch flatness.

The shafts 66, 68 are mounted on bearings 164 for rotation. The bearings 164 are secured by bolts to the top of a platform frame structure 150 having top plate or flange means 152 on the compactor plate assembly 50, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8.

The shafts 66, 68 are substantially identical and include an off-center weight or eccentric 156 mounted on a stub shaft 158, a coupling 160, and a universal or U- joint 162. The U-joints 162 are necessary to connect the shafts 66, 68 at the split screed portions 50a and 50b juncture to enable the split portions to be related at an angle to each other to compact a convex or concave roadway surface contour. The eccentrics 156 are mounted between respective pairs of the bearings 164, FIGS. 2, 3, and 18.

The stub shafts 158 have at each end a reduced portion 166, FIGS. 4 and 5. At the center of the stub shaft 158 is a cut out portion adapted to engage the base of the eccentric 156. The eccentric 156 is formed to fit between a pair of collars 172 slidably mounted on the 4 stub shaft 158. Each of the collars 172 has a hole formed therein adapted to receive a bolt 174 which passes through the eccentric 156, FIG. 4. The bolt 174 is formed with a hole at each end to receive a pair of cotter pins 176 to secure the eccentric 156 to the collars 172. At each end of the eccentrics 156 is a radial portion 178 corresponding to the surface of the cylindrical stub shaft 158.

The eccentric 156 is thereby secured to the stub shaft 158 by means of a positive mechanical structural locking of the stub shaft 158 to the eccentric 156 including the cutaway portion 170, the radial base 178 and the collars 172.

The split compactor plate portions 50a and 50b are joined along a center line 184 by bolted ties 186, FIG. 6. The bolted ties 186 insure that the center line 184 is at the same level despite the angle at which the compactor plate portions 50a and 50b are joined. The split compactor plate 50a, 50b have respective series of complementary overlapping interdigitally articulated edge segments 188, 190, FIGS. 7 and 8. The bolted ties 186 include a cover 194, a pair of end members 196, base members 198 and a threaded bolt 200 which passes between the end members 196, and the end members are kept in spaced relation by the cover 194 and the base members 198.

The threaded bolt 200 has a castellated nut 202, a cotter pin 203, and a washer 204 which fits in an enlarged recess 205 in the exterior face of the respective end member 196. The bolt 200 may be passed in either direction through the holes formed in the end members 196.

The bolt 200 passes through a respective segment flange 206 mounted on each of the split compactor plate portions 50a, 50b through an enlarged aperture 208 adapted to adjustments to convex or concave configurations of the paving lift by the split compactor plate portions 50a, 50b, FIGS. 7 and 8. The segment flange 206 is formed with a base portion 210 having a hole therein adapted to receive a nut 212 to secure the flange portion 206 to a threaded portion of the screed joining member 214 which is integral with each of the split compactor plate portions 50a, 50b along the edge 184.

With reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 the crown adjustments allow the compactor to seek the crown set in the mat by the finisher. The crown adjustment is free floating and allows the vibrating plates 50a and 50b to seek the angle of the road surface. The alternating overlapping screed plate segments 188 and 190 tie the plate sections 50a and 50b together and form a hingle. The fact that the sections 188 and 190 alternate in their lap allows the plate assembly 50 to be joined evenly at 184, FIG. 7, and allows the two plates 50a and 50b to move downwardly or pivot at their juncture 184. The hinge or overlapping joint is held together by the bolt 200 which acts as a cantilever through the beams 196. The compressing force from the cover 194 is transmitted to the overlapping hinge sections at 188 and 190 by the edges of the base members 198. In operation, the weight of the two plates 50a and 50b automatically effects gravitational adjustments about the hinge to conform to the angle of the paving as determined by the finishing screed of the laying and finishing machine.

The size of the aperture 208 is sufficient to allow a range of adjustment of the split plate sections 50a, 50b to accommodate the range of roadway contours normally encountered in crowning, 2 to /2 a roadway surface. A larger apcrture 208 may be provided in the tie 186 if a greater crown is desired.

The compactor plate assembly 50 is adapted to have an extension plate 220 joined along either/or both sides in the direction of motion of the towed compactor 14. In order to vibrate the extension plates 220 in correspondence with the split plate assembly portions 50a and 50b, each of the extensions 220 has a pair of shaft extension 222 and a set of ball level fasteners 224, FIGS. 9 and 10.

The shaft extension portions 222 are complementary and are joined at the reduced ends 166 of the stub shaft 158, FIG. 11. The reduced end portion 166 has a spline 232 adapted to receive a collar 234 having a threaded key 236 engageable with the spline 232. The abutting end portions 166 are caused to rotate together by a concentric member 238 fitted in a radial groove 240 on the collar 234. Each of the grooves 240 receives a circular shaft engaging member 242 joined by rivets 244 or the like to frictionally engage the flange portions 246 on each of the collars 234.

Each of the extension ball level fasteners 224 is adapted to adjust the height of the associated extension 220 with the plate portions 50a or 50b. This enables a roadway to be formed with a variable contour depending on the angle of the split plates 50a, 50b and the height of the extensions 220 with respect to each of the split plate portions 50a, 50b.

The ball. fasteners 224 include a pivot adjusting member 250 and a ball member 252, FIG. 12. The assembly 50 and the extension 220 have frames 254, 256 formed parallel to the plate surfaces on which are mounted the ball portion 252 and adjustment portion 250, respectively. The pivot member 250 includes a square shaft 258 having a pivot or trunnions 260 which pass through the sides of the pivot member 250.

The shaft 258 is formed with a cylindrical portion 262 of reduced cross sectional area. The cylindrical portion 262 is engaged by the ball member 252. The shaft 260 is secured against the sides of the pivot housing 250 by cotter pins 264. The angle of the shaft 258 is determined by a pair of bolts 266, 268 which bear on the shaft 258 on either side of the pivot 260. The angle of the shaft 258 is adjusted by tightening and loosening the bolts 266, 268 in correspondence.

The shaft 258 is secured to the ball member 252 by a threaded portion 270 adapted to receive a castellated nut 272 and a cotter pin 274. The cylindrical portion 262 is in a cylindrical recess 275 of a ball 276. The ball 276 is adapted for movement in a semi-spherical bearing 280. The ball fastener 224 is thereby adapted to adjust the height of the split compactor plate assembly 50 and the extension 220 to provide a desired contour in a finishing operation.

The compactor plate extension adjustment is designed to allow the extension 220 to move up and down for a perfect match with the compactor plate 50 so that no marks would be left in the road surface. The extension 220 is designed to be at exactly the same angle as the assembly 50 and no adjustment is provided. However, if it became necessary to make an adjustment of the angle, it would be possible by shimming the ball 252 at the reduced end 262 of the pivoted bar 258.

In order to make adjustment to move the extension 220 down, screw 266 would be loosened and screw 268 would be tightened. This would cause the bar 258 to rotate about the pin 260 in a clockwise direction. This whole unit would pivot in the ball 252 and thus would lower the whole assembly 250 and extension 220 downwardly with respect to the plate 50.

The extension assembly 220 is joined to the split assembly 50 by a pair of bolt assemblies 226 on each side of the split assembly 50. The bolting assembly 226 includes a pair of abutting walls 281 and 282 respectively, for the split assembly 50b and the extension 220. The abutting members 281, 282 are joined by a pair of bolts 284, 286. The lower bolt 286 is somewhat longer than bolt 284 and passes through a portion of the frame 287 and the extension frame 29.1. The bolts 284, 286 have threaded portions adapted to receive castellated nuts 288, 290 which are tightened against washers 292, 294 on each side of the abutting walls 281, 282. The castellated nuts 288, 290 are secured by cotter pins 296, 298, respectively passing through the bolts 284, 286.

The extension 220 is formed with enlarged holes 300, 302 in the wall 282 to allow for vertical adjustment of the extension 220 with respect to the split member 50b by means of the ball joint height adjustment member 224. The enlarged apertures 300, 302 permit a range of height adjustment of 4 inch above and A inch below the split member 5011.

The split assembly 50 has a width of 10 feet. The extension screeds as presently constructed are in widths of 1 foot, 1 /2 foot and 2 feet. The 1 foot extension is merely bolted to one of the split members 50a, 50b. The 1 /2 foot and 2 feet extensions include the shaft extensions 222. The shaft extensions have a pair of bearings 164 supporting a stub shaft having one eccentric weight 156 mounted thereon.

The limits of the split members 50a, 50b with respect to each other is controlled by means of a crown limit stop 310. There are two crown adjusting members 310 along the joint 184 between the split members 50a and 50b.

The crown limit stop 310 includes a pair of vertical flanges 312, 314 extending from each of the split compacting plate members 50a, 5017, respectively. The flanges 312, 314 are joined by a bolt 316. The threaded bolt has two sets of springs 318, 319 and cylindrical covers 320, 321, respectively, which form limits. The cylindrical spring 318 and cover 320 separate the flanges 312, 314. Abutting each flange is a washer 322, 323 which provides a radius 324 along which the limit assembly 310 moves vertically. The springs 318 and 319 are used to hold the assembly and thereby eliminate rattling noises. The tension on the springs and the crown limits are adjustable by changing the position of a castellated nut 326 on the bolt 316. With the spring 318 extended to its maximum position the split compacting plate 50a, 50b has a positive crown of 2 and with the cover 320 abutting the flanges 312, 314 the split compacting plate members 50a, 50!) have a negative crown of /2 In the operating mode the motor frame 44 floats on the split compacting plate assembly 50. The frame moves up and down along the vertical portion of the towing arms 40 above the support pin 90. The cylinders 74 are retracted by the hydraulic means to release the frame 44 from a locked relationship to the towing arms 40. A rear cylinder (not shown) pivots the castor assemblies 46 out of engagement with the roadway surface to a position generally above the split compacting plate assembly 50, FIG. 1.

In the traveling position the cylinders are extended. The cylinders 74 lock the frame 44 to the towing arms 40. The rear cylinder lies generally parallel to the plane of the frame 44 and maintains the castor wheels 48 on the ground to support the rear of the plate towed compactor 14.

The motor 60 drives the counterrotating shafts 66, 68, FIGS. 1 to 3. The eccentrics 156 mounted on the shafts 66, 68 cause imbalances which cause the split vibrating compactor plate members 50a, 50b to move vertically to compact the lift. The shafts 66, 68 are operatively connected to the split members 50a, 50b by the bearing members 164 bolted to the frame 150. The eccentrics 156 are mounted between a pair of bearings 164.

The shafts 66, 68 have U-joints where the split members 50a, 50b are joined in order to allow for an adjustable angular relationship between the split members 50a, 50b and the vibrating shafts 66, 68 with respect to the sections parallel to each of the split portions 50a, and 50b.

The compactor plate assembly 50 with its platform frame structure normally supports, but is vibrationally isolated from the frame 44 by a means of the vibration dampeners 70 and 70a including the coil compression springs 71.

The eccentrics 156 are fixed on the stub shafts making up the shafts 66, 68'by means of the special configuration of the recesses and radial portions 178 to prevent both rotatable and axial movement of the eccentrics with respect to the stub shaft 158.

The range of weights for the eccentrics 156 varies greatly depending on the machine design, the strength of materials, and the amount of compaction that is desired. The greater the weight of the eccentrics 156 and the higher the r.p.m. the greater the forces involved which generally increases the compaction. However, the natural frequency of the material and the amplitude of the movement of the compacting plate assembly are relevant factors. Generally the results are determined on an empirical basis and this machine is designed so that the eocentric weights 156 rotate in opposite directions. In the horizontal plane the front weight and the rear weight forces cancel each other and in the vertical direction the front and rear weights are additives so that they add to each other. This is what creates the vibration of the compacting plate assembly 50 and causes the assembly 50 to move vertically upward and downward. To give a little more understanding of this operation, the centrifugal force from the weights 156 acts on the plate assembly and the amplitude that this plate assembly moves upwardly is a function of F=ma the force F being the force from the weights 156, the mass in being the mass of the vibrating plate assembly 50, and the acceleration a is a function of the distance it moves divided by the frequency of the weight that is being rotated. Also involved in this is the energy that is placed into the mat on the downward movement.

If, for example, the vibrating plate 50 were an eighth inch above the liftor and the weights 156 turned to the downward position and the force pulled the mass downward into the mat and the plate struck the mat before the weights were all the way down, then the plate would stop and the force from the rotating weights would go directly into the mat. The mat would be decelerating the mass of the vibrating plate plus the force of the rotating weights. The would be the force that tends to compact the material. The vertical compacting vibrating action tends to make the particles or granules in the road surfacing material move and orient themselves so they key themselves together and eliminate all the voids in the road surfacing material. In actual practice it is difficult to see exactly what is happening. The final result is taken with a density meter of some sort to determine what maximum theoretical density has been obtained.

The angular limits of the split section 50a to the corresponding split section 5012 is determined by the pair of crown limit adjusting members 310, FIG. 6. The sections 50a, 50b are adjusted when the plate towed compactor 14 is in the traveling position mounted on the castors 46. The split sections are joined together by an overlapping joint whereby no tell-tale line is left in the contour of the finished roadway.

Extension compacting plates of 1, 1 /2 or 2 feet may be added to either/or both sides of the split vibrating compacting plate assembly 50. The extension plates vibrate in correspondence with the split plate assembly 50 by means of the extension shaft joints 222. The heights of the split plate assembly 50 and the extension members 220 are adjustable by means of the ball height adjusting members 224.

As will be observed in FIGURE 2, the compacting plate assembly 50 is substantially wider than long, and the frame 44 is substantially shorter than the plate assembly but of about the same Width, and the frame 44 with the motor is mounted substantially longitudinally centrally of the assembly 50 in order to provide Well balanced support weight distribution of the frame and motor respective to the plate assembly.

Although modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A compactor especially adapted to be towed behind a paving machine which lays a lift of bituminous paving material and has leveling and screed means to provide a substantially smooth surface of desired contour, said compactor being constructed and equipped to complete compacting of the lift to final density without need for any further rolling or densification by other or separate equipment, and comprising:

a frame having a motor mounted thereon;

means for connecting the compactor in towed relation to and behind a paving machine;

a compacting plate assembly underlying said frame in spaced relation;

vibration imparting shaft and eccentric weight means rotatably mounted on said plate assembly;

means drivingly connecting said motor with said vibration imparting means; and

vibration dampers connecting said frame in normally supported relation to and upon said compacting plate assembly in substantially vibrationally isolating relation.

2. A compactor according to claim 1, said plate as sembly being substantially wider than long, said frame being substantially shorter than said plate assembly but of about the same width and being mounted substantially centrally of the length of said plate assembly in order to afford a balanced weight distribution relationship.

3. A compactor according to claim 1, said means for connecting the compactor in towed relation comprising a pair of arms extending from said frame.

4. A compactor according to claim 1, including compactor supporting wheel means attached to a rear portion of said frame and including means for raising the wheel means into a non-operating position above said compacting plate assembly.

5. A compactor according to claim 1, comprising wheel means mounted on a rear portion of said frame and arranged to be moved between a compactor supporting position and a raised position above said compacting plate assembly, and said means for connecting the compactor in towed relation behind a machine comprising a pair of arms projecting forwardly from said frame.

6. A compactor according to claim 1, said compacting plate assembly comprising a pair of plate members hingedly connected together along a longitudinal line, means for effecting relative vertical lift contour accommodating adjustments of said plates along said hinge connection, and said hinge connection having means therealong to avoid joint line unevenness in the compacted lift.

7. A compactor according to claim 6, said plates having along the hinge joint alternating interdigitated segments and means retaining said segments in close alignment in all relative adjustments of the plates along the hinge joint.

8. A compactor according to claim 1, said vibration imparting shaft and eccentric weight means comprising shafts which have free end portions adjacent the sides of said compacting plate assembly, side extension plate means along at least one side of said assembly, means connecting said extension plate means operatively to said plate assembly, vibration imparting shaft and eccentric weight means mounted on said extension means, and means operatively coupling said extension shaft means and said shaft end portions.

9. A compactor according to claim 1, said compacting plate assembly comprising plate sections in side-by-side relation along a hinge joint by which the sections are adjustable for lift contour conformance, said shaft and weight means comprising longitudinally spaced shaft assemblies extending from side to side of the plate assembly and each of the shaft assemblies having weight means thereon and a universal joint connecting the respective shaft assemblies across said hinge joint, each of said shaft assemblies having at each of its opposite ends a splined portion adapted to receive a coupling for corotatively securing to each of such splined end portions a respective eccentric weight carrying shaft on a side plate extension from said plate assembly, and means on said plate assembly for connecting the side plate extensions thereto.

10. In a compactor including a frame supporting a motor and a compacting plate assembly under said frame and connected thereto and having a shaft mounted thereon with means operatively connecting said shaft for rotation by said motor:

spaced apart radial flanges on said shaft;

an eccentric Weight engaging said shaft between said flanges; and

a securing pin extending through said weight and attached at its opposite end portions to said flanges.

11. In a compactor according to claim 10, said pin extending at its opposite ends from said flanges, and cotter pins extending through said opposite end portions of the pin and retaining the pin against axial displacement from said weight and said flanges.

12. In a compactor according to claim 10, said shaft having a flat place thereon and said weight having a complementary flat surface engaging said flat place.

13. In a compactor of the character described:

a pair of compacting plates disposed in side-by-side relation and having a hinge joint therebetween in which confronting edges of the plates are close together;

means on said plates for effecting relative vertical angular adjustments of said plates along said hinge joint; and

means on said plates operative to maintain said confronting edges in close joint relation to one another in all angular adjustments of the plates.

14. A compactor according to claim 13, said means for maintaining said close joint relationship of said edges comprising respective structures on said plates along said edges and having interdigitally engaging elements thereon.

15. A compactor according to claim 14, including tie frame structure spanning said hinge joint and engaging and retaining said structures along said joint in optimum interdigital relation of said elements.

16. A compactor according to claim 15, said tie frame means comprising tie bolts extending across said hinge joint and retaining said tie frame means operatively related to said structures along said joint.

17. A compactor comprising a compactor plate having vibration imparting shaft and eccentric Weight mounted thereon and means for rotating the shaft to effect vertical vibrations of the plate:

a side extension plate having an edge abutting a side edge of said compactor plate;

means on said compactor plate and said extension plate connecting the plates;

said connecting means including means for adjustably securing said connecting means to eflect optimum vertical relative adjustments of the plates;

said extension plate having a rotary shaft with an eccentric weight mounted thereon; and

means coupling said extension plate shaft and the shaft on said compacting plate.

18. In a compactor including a compacting plate and means for vibrating said plate and wherein the Width of the area to be compacted requires a sideward extension:

a sideward extension plate having an edge confronting said compacting plate;

respective rigid coupling structures on said plates adjacent and above said edges;

a coupling member attached to and extending between said coupling structures and operative to maintain said plates with said edges close together;

said member being adjustable in a vertical direction to effect optimum vertical relative relationship of said plates at said edges; and

means in engagement with said member for releasably fixing said member in the optimum plate adjusted relation thereof.

19. A compactor according to claim 18, said member being pivotally attached to one of said structures and having a universal joint connection with the other of said structures.

20. A compactor assembly comprising:

a pair of vibrationally operable compactor plates disposed in edge-to-edge relation;

a connector member;

means relatively pivotally connecting said member to both of said plates whereby to enable effecting optimum vertical relative adjustment of said plate edges; and

means engaging said member for locking said member in adjusted position.

21. In a compactor plate assembly:

a pair of vibrationally operative compactor plates in edge-to-edge side-by-side relation;

upstanding rigid attachment structures on said plates aligned with the respective edges;

bolts securing said attachment structures fixedly to gether; and

said attachment structures having means enabling relative vertical adjustment of said attachment structures and said plates when said bolts are loose.

22. A compactor according to claim 21, said means enabling adjustment comprising vertically elongated slots in one of said attachment structures through which said bolts extend.

23. A compactor of the character described comprising:

vibrationally operative compacting plates in side-by-side edge-to-edge relation;

attachment structure fixedly mounted on each of said plates adjacent to the respective abutting edge thereof and projecting upwardly to a substantial height therefrom; and

means connecting the upper portions of said attachment structures yieldably enabling relative vertical hinging adjustment movement of said plates about the joint provided by the abutting edges.

24. A compactor according to claim 23, said connecting means comprising a bolt and compression spring means mounted on said bolt and maintained under compression thrusting toward said structures.

25. In combination in a compactor especially adapted to be towed behind a paving machine which lays a lift of bituminous paving material and has leveling and screed means to provide a substantially smooth surface of desired contour, said compactor being constructed and equipped to complete compaction of the lift to final density Without the need for any further rolling or densification by other or separate equipment, and comprising:

a frame having a motor mounted thereon;

a compacting plate assembly underlying and supporting said frame and motor by means of vibration isolating shock absorbers;

said plate assembly having shaft means mounted thereon With eccentric Weight means carried thereby and extending from side-to-side of the plate assembly with means connecting the shaft means with the motor for rotation of the shaft means and thereby vibration of the plate assembly relative to said frame by action of said eccentric weights and as permitted by said vibration dampers;

side extension means along at least one side of said plate assembly and having thereon a shaft extension with an eccentric Weight;

means attaching said side extension plate to said plate assembly independently of said frame; and

means corotationally connecting said shaft extension with said shaft means.

26. A compactor according to claim 25, said means for attaching said side extension plate to said plate assembly UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,094,910 10/1937 Baily 94-48 2,249,264 7/1941 Baily 94-48 2,842,036 7/1958 Overman 94-46 12 Madisbn 94-46 Heer 94-46 Moir 94-48 Watters 94-46 Piper 94-48 Reider 94-24 Martinson 94-39 NILE C. BYERS, JR., Primary Examiner 

